Although technologies for securely encrypting data, which is sent over TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) based computer networks such as the Internet or Intranet are well established, the current state of the art only allows secure transmission of data on a peer-to-peer basis.
There is currently no system which allows users or Account Holders to securely and easily store data on their own account on a centralised server over the Internet or over an Intranet and/or share that data with Invited Participants (users who are not Account Holders but who are allowed certain access privileges to the data at certain times), or set predetermined dates and times when those Invited Participants can gain access (whether read-only, write-only or read/write) to said data.
A number of problems exist in the prior art, for example:
authentication of participants cannot be carried out over the Internet with confidence;
data cannot be stored and shared over the Internet with confidence;
data integrity cannot be guaranteed.
It is an object of at least one embodiment of at least one aspect of the present invention to provide a system that substantially mirrors electronically a conventional paper based tendering system such as a public sector tendering system covered in the UK by a relevant EU tendering Regulation.
It is a further object of at least one embodiment of at least one aspect of the present invention to provide a system that uses “digital certificates” as a validation of users to an electronic safety deposit box.
It is also an object of at least one embodiment of at least one aspect of the present invention to provide a system which provides necessary or adequate levels of security for storage of important electronic data at a relatively low cost and without any need for client-side proprietary or bespoke software or hardware, the system requiring a personal computer, on Internet connection and a standard web browser.
It is yet also an object of at least one embodiment of at least one aspect of the present invention to seek to mirror a prior art paper based procurement process and allows buyers and suppliers to action business with full confidence in the security of data that is shared, transmitted or deposited.